


Life In The Pitts Can Be, Well, The Pitts

by bjfic_archivist



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Angst, Canon, Child Abuse, Drama, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-08-09
Updated: 2005-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 09:49:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12078633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjfic_archivist/pseuds/bjfic_archivist
Summary: Welcome to Pittsburgh, home to Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor.  Brian and Justin are two high school seniors who go to two separate schools, with separate friends, and separate lives...both of which suck...big time.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

**AN:** _This is my first fic (ever). I'm usually a reader and not so much a writer, but who knows, maybe I'll write something you like! Any questions, comments, help (especially help), and reviews are welcome and wanted. Also I don't have a beta, so a thousand apologies for any mistakes! Read it, learn it, love it~!~Christina_

* * *

"Brian Kinney, get your ass outta bed or you're gonna be late for school!"

"Deb if I wanted a wake-up call I would have asked for one." Brian grumbled into his pillow and streched his lean body between the sheets.

"Ha-ha, very funny," Deb gave the bedroom door a final pound, "Now get that smart ass down here and eat some breakfast."

_Yes mother_ Brian mouthed sarcastically. And although Brian's stomach was grumbling, he decided to lie in bed for just a few more moments. As he was trying to wake himself of the fog still surrounding his brain, Brian's eyes followed the patterns on the ceiling and his thoughts wandered to his room at home. His room was the only room at home that he cared for. For him it was his semi-inpenetrable fortress that blocked out the rough-and-tumble world his parents created.

Last night Brian came home to a drunken Jack Kinney (surprise, surprise) and although Brian had tried to dodge the punches and run up to his room, this time Jack followed him and he made sure he got a few good hits in. After that, Brian got out of bed, shimmied down the drain pipe, and ran to Michael's house, only to be forced to shimmy _up_ a drain pipe, _into_ a window, and back into a safe, warm bed. Actually, Brian had showed up so often at the Novotny's in the middle of the night that Deb finally gave him his own room. Brian liked that, it made him feel more like he belonged here. Plus it was certainly more comfortable than crashing on Mikey's floor. 

With that thought, Brian rolled his boxer-clad body out of bed, ignoring his every muscle screaming in protest. By now Brian barely felt the pain. As he stretched, Brian noticed new bruises littering his chest and decided to put a shirt on so he didn't alarm Deb. Then he trotted downstairs for breakfast.

"Mornin'"

"Well it's about time you got your- Jesus Christ Brian!" The spatula that Deb held in her hand clattered as it fell to the sink.

Michael's head whipped up from his comic book and he gasped at Brian, "Your face..."

Brian ran to the bathroom and gaped at his reflection. There staring back at him were the blackest eye he'd ever had and the fattest lip he'd ever seen.

Smacking his head against the bathroom wall, Brian sighed. "Thanks a lot Jack. You fucker."

 

_BRIIIIING, BRIIIIING, BRIIIIING_

"Umph..." Justin rolled over in bed to answer the phone that was screaming in his ear. _Whoever the fuck you are you better have a goddamn good reason for calling so early in the morning,_ Justin thought to himself as he answered the phone. "Mmmhello?"

"Hi sweetie!" _My mom. Figures._ "I'm at work right now but I just wanted to wish you a great first day of your senior year! Oh Justin, I'm so proud of you! You've made is so..." Justin rolled his eyes as Jennifer continued to gush over her son. Suddenly her previous words sank through his sleepy haze. SCHOOL! Justin glanced at the clock. It was a quarter to eight. Shit.

"Mom, I gotta go now. Thanks for waking me up though. See you later." Justin hung up the receiver before scurrying around his room to try to collect his things and find something to wear.

_Shit, shit, shit! First day of school and I'm late! Daph is gonna kill me!_ Thoughts were racing through Justin's mind as he bounded down the stairs and ran out the front door; never noticing the stain on his shirt, his hair sticking up on end, or the fact that his sketchbook had fallen out of his backpack while he was racing through the hallway, and that it happened to land in front of his parents' bedroom, face up, open, on an incredibly nude drawing of Chris Hobbs.


	2. Life In The Pitts Can Be, Well, The Pitts

**AN:** _Thanks to those who read the last chap. I'm trying to make them longer for you! Again feedback is sooooo greatly appreciated. Just drop me a line and tell me what you think! Thanks~!~Christina_

* * *

"So does it hurt?"

"Stupid question Michael, just look at his face!"

Brian grinned, or did what would resemble a grin if he didn't have such a fat lip. "Actually Linds, it doesn't really hurt that much. I just can't believe I didn't notice it. I mean a mangled face is pretty hard to miss, especially when it's your own."

Michael scuffed the toes of his sneakers along the curb as he walked. "Yeah, but I guess by now..." Michael's eyes got wide when he realized what he said.

The trio fell silent as the truth hung between them. _By now, Brian must be used to this._ Brian's body had dulled itself from the physical pain of his father's so-frequent beatings. His heart, however, was a different matter. Try as he might, Brian had never fully managed to shield that most important part of himself from the blows inflicted or the harsh words spoken. _There will be scars there, but will anyone ever care enough to see them?_

Brian looked up when he'd realized they had stopped walking. There they stood by a stop sign, several blocks away from the high school, each one lost to the different thoughts and emotions racing through them.

Lindsay was excited. She couldn't wait to finish high school. She'd be off to PIFA next year, away from her overbearing parents and in pursuit of that illustrious Fine Arts degree. Brian was sure she could make it too, he always admired her artwork.

Michael was scared shitless. Poor Mikey, he didn't know what he was going to do after high school. He hated school of any kind, so college wasn't even an option in his mind. He knew, however, that both his best friends would be seeking higher education next fall, so where would that leave him? Michael had told Brian on numerous occasions not to forget him when he went off to college. Brian had tried to reassure him that that would never happen but Michael seemed to believe that their senior year was the beginning of the end. The last great hoorah before going their separate ways.

Brian, well, Brian didn't know how he felt about all this. He had always liked school, mainly because it got him out of the house for the day, and he'd done very well there too. He received good grades and had every intention of going to college...for a couple of reasons. First, the prospect of moving out of his parents' house was just too good for him to pass up, and second, he wanted to become an ad man. Brian thought he could do pretty well for himself too. Besides, with his confidence, charm, and handsome good looks (okay, so maybe he was having an off-day in that department), Brian could sell the shit out of anything. Most of all, Brian wanted to get out of the Pitts, go straight to the top, and let money and alcohol wash away the memories of the Kinney house.

Shaking himself out of his daze, Brian chuckled. "By the looks of us you'd think we were being led to the gallows or something. Come on guys, we musn't keep anyone waiting too long, Theodore might try to hit on Cyn again."

Michael outwardly cringed as he muttered, "God forbid."

"What's wrong with Cynthia?" Lindsay asked with a frown, "I think she's pretty."

Brian snorted. "Yeah, well you're a lesbian. Besides, Ted's as queer as they come. He just won't admit it yet."

"Amen to that. Who does he think he's kidding anyway?" Michael asked as he shook his head.

They all shared a laugh at that, and although the mood seemed to have lightened considerably, Brian felt a slight trepidation at the thought of entering Pittsburgh High, which was now looming in the distance.

 

************

 

Justin was panting by the time he reached St. James Academy. With no car, Justin had little choice but to sprint to school if he wandted to make it to his first class. As he rounded the empty hallway, Justin smiled to himself. There was Daphne, leaning against his locker, tapping her foot impatiently, and glancing at her watch.

"There you are!" Daphne exclaimed as Justin approached. "Where the hell have you been? I tried calling your cell like eight times!"

Justin grimaced. "Yeah, well I accidentally slept in this morning. I wouldn't have even woken up if it wasn't for my mom calling from work. Anyway, I hauled ass over here so I could make it on time and I must have forgotten my phone."

"Yeah, well I'm sorry to hear about that, but you could have at least stopped to glance in a mirror for two seconds. You look like shit." At that, Justin paused in the middle of dumping the contents of his backpack into his locker and glared up at his friend. However, Daphne simply raised her hands in mock surrender and continued, "Hey, if your best friend can't be honest with you, who can?" But Justin had stopped listening to her.

"I can't find my sketchbook."

"What?"

"I said I can't find my sketchbook." Justin was staring into space as if it held the answers to where his prized possession may be. "Did I leave it at your house last night?"

Daphne shook her head, "Nope, sorry."

"Are you sure Daph?" Justin was practically whining now. His sketchbook was everything to him and if he hadn't put it in his bag, then what had he done with it?

"Sorry Justin, but I'm positive I would have seen it. My room is clean, or at least relatively clean. It's definitely not the battleground that your room so often resembles." Daphne smiled in hope of reassuring her friend. "Maybe you left it in your room somewhere or kicked it under your bed. Anyway, we have to book it if we want to make it to the wonderful 'Back to School' assembly in the gym. Come on."

Justin and Daphne approached the gymnasium and, amazingly, people were still filing in. Justin was walking in front of Daphne, past a few rows of bleachers, when he looked back at her. "So Daph, you're _absolutely_ positive you haven't seen my-OOMPH!"

And just like that, Justin ate shit on the gymnasium floor in front of the entire school. Thanks, of course, to Chris Hobbs' fat-fucking-foot tripping him.

Daphne was helping Justin stand when she hissed at Hobbs, "Anybody ever tell you you're an asshole?"

"Anybody ever tell you that your friend is a fag?" Chris snickered with his buddies at his own retort.

Justin smiled iciliy up at Hobbs as he got to his feet. "Yeah, well I guess if I were a fag you would know fist, whoops! I mean, _first_ hand, wouldn't you?" Justin made a mock hand-job movement while walking away from an increasingly red Chris Hobbs.

"Um, where should we sit?"

"How about up there by those freaks calling your name?" Daphne grinned as she pointed out some empty seats.

_"Hey Justin, have a nice trip there sweetheart?"_

_"Yeah, walk much with those two left feet?!?"_

"Assholes." Justin muttered as he approached them. 

"Aww, but you know you love us honey!" Emmett exclaimed as he jumped out of his seat to fix what he could of Justin's haggard appearance. Once satisfied with his work, Emmett moved so Daphne could sit next to Ben while Justin plopped his bubble butt down next to Emmett and Melanie.

_RIIIIIIIP_

Ben looked up from his "Art of Zen Yoga" book with a questioning look on his face. "What was that?"

Looking down, Justin sighed at the large tear he saw and dropped his head in his hands when he realized his underwear were peeking through. "My pants."

_Must be one of those days_


	3. Life In The Pitts Can Be, Well, The Pitts

**AN:** _Okay, sorry for the wait! Here's the next chap and I'll get to working on number four. Thanks for reading and giving feedback, it's what keeps me going. By the way, don't hate me for this ending, it's been a long day and I just want to get to chapter four. Later~!~Christina_

* * *

Drunk and alone is no way to stagger through the suburbs of Pittsburgh, but at the moment, Justin didn't care. Swaying as he walked, the teen thought back on his spectacularly shitty day. Chris Hobbs had it out for him after the little display in the gym that morning and he'd done his best to ensure that Justin knew it. Justin grimaced and flexed his hand as the events from earlier that day flooded back to him.

_The final bell had just rang and Justin was making his way back to his locker._

_"Thank god this fucking day is over, I don't know how much more I can take." Justin said to Daphne when she met him at his locker._

_"I bet. I still don't know why you didn't go home to change your pants! If that happened to me I'd die of embarassment." Daphne shuddered at the thought._

_"Yeah, well the fucking administration wouldn't let me go home. Besides, I look fabulous, don't I?" Justin turned his back and walked about five feet away from Daphne before whipping his head back to look at her. Justin had struck a pose with his hands on his hips, ass swaying slightly and a smoldering look on his face, as if he were a model. Daphne just giggled at him._

_"Well, let's just say you shouldn't quit school and pursue that modeling contract quite yet...at least not in those clothes."_

_Justin stuck his tongue out at her and smiled as he continued to strut back toward her. "Why not? I'm sure that world would love to see me strip down to my skivvies." Justin leaned against some lockers as he and Daphne laughed together, never noticing who approached them._

_"And I'd love to kick your ass, faggot." Chris Hobbs loomed behind Justin. "You better watch yourself Taylor, or you might end up in a world of hurt."_

_Just as Justin was about to make a snappy retort, Chris slammed the locker shut and it came toward Jsutin, catching two fingers on his left hand. Ben, Melanie, and Emmett had rounded the corner just in time to see what happened._

_Justin yelled in pain and surprise as Chris walked away and Daphne stalked after him, fists flying._

_"You goddamned son-of-a-"_

_"Daph don't." Ben came up behind her and attempted to hold her back. "You don't want to stoop to his level, violence won't help this."_

_"Bullshit! Did you see what he did to Justin?!" Daphne was pissed and a lot stronger than she looked so Ben was having trouble keeping her contained. Chris Hobbs had already left, but Ben wouldn't put it past Daphne to go track him down. Looking behind him, Ben saw that Emmett was talking to Justin who was now bent over in front of his locker holding his injured hand. 'Screw it,' he thought, 'Mel is stronger anyway.'_

_Ben cleared his throat, "Um, a little help here?" Melanie rushed over and started talking to Daphne. Whatever she said seemed to help because Daphne calmed down considerably and they walked back to Justin to inspect his hand._

_"It's already starting to bruise," Justin moaned. And indeed it was. Right below the knuckles on his pinky and ring finger, angry purple blotches were coming to the surface._

_"C'mon," Daphne muttered, "Let's get out of here and go to my house. We'll find something to take our minds off that asshole."_

_Justin nodded his approval but he wasn't sure there was anyting that would keep him from worrying about what Chris Hobbs might do next._

And now here was Justin, drunker than a skunk, and proving himself wrong by finding all he really needed to get his mind off things was a bottle of Beam. When he left Daphne's house she had quite a buzz going too. Actually they all did. And since Daphne's parents weren't home (as usual) he could have drank himself into oblivion. Instead, Justin wandered home in search of his lost sketchbook and was realizing that he seemed quite lost himself.

"Where the fuck am I and how the fuck did I get lost in suburbia?" Justin said to himself as he squinted up at the street sign. He was on the corner of Chester and... _Liberty Avenue?_

Justin's heart beat faster. Ever since he came out to Daph and his friends, Justin had wanted to check out Liberty Avenue, but he was too scared to go alone. Now, however, he was thinking this was the perfect place to find something to eat, and he had the drunk munchies like none other.

Up ahead, Justin could make out a neon sign that read, 'Liberty Diner. Open 24 hours.' Justin looked at his watch and saw that it was a quarter to seven. His mother got home a half an hour ago and was probably worried sick about him. Chewing on his bottom lip, Justin thought about what he wanted to do.

"Ah fuck it." Justin muttered. Besides, he was seventeen years old, his mother should learn not to worry so much. _Liberty Diner, here I come._

***************

"I fucking hate school and I fucking hate teachers. I still can't believe that bitch gave us a history assignment on the first day!" Brian was currently bitching from behind a stack of World War II books.

"Well genious," Michael began, "it probably didn't help out the class when you asked if she was a lesbian."

Brian laughed. "Oh come on, her last name is Mollen _dyke_! Weren't you just the least bit curious? Besides, half the population of the Pitts is gay, so I just had to ask."

"And how would you know if half of the Pitts is gay?" Lindsay inquired, looking up from a pile of yellowed newspaper clippings.

"Probably because he's fucked them all." Ted quipped as he walked towards the computers in the Pittsburgh Public Library.

Brian smiled and called after Ted, "Thank you Theodore! That's a badge I'll wear proudly."

"Alright, stop it you guys," Michael warned, "We really need to get some research done on this project."

"Okay, Mikey, fine. But at least admit that we know a lot of homos. We're like a beacon for queers of America! Not that I'm complaining of course, but think about it. You definitely like cock," Brian stated, looking at Michael who shrugged in agreement, "Lindsay is a rug muncher," Brian continued by pointing at Lindsay who merely smirked, "Ted's a closet case," Michael and Lindsay both 'shhhh'd' Brian, "and I'm the world's most fabulous fag." Brian finished proudly. "Christ Mikey, even your mom works on Liberty Avenue. Speaking of which, let's go, I'm starving." Brian stood after they all collected their things and was making his way to where Ted was sitting. "Ten bucks says he's whacking off to gay porn right now." Lindsay laughed with Brian while Michael slapped him on the arm. "What?," Brian asked, "You know it's true! World War II project my ass."

***************

_Christ, this place is packed_ Justin thought to himself as he weaseled his way to the last empty booth. Justin was sobering up, thank god, because he knew the noise and colors alone would have made him nautious if he were still drunk.

A loud red-headed waitress bustled toward him. "Hey there blondie, haven't seen you here before."

"Um yeah, this is my first time."

The waitress cackled and popped her chewing gum. "Really? Well with an ass like yours and those good looks I'm surprised to hear that." Justin blushed and smiled, picking up on the joke. "And that smile of yours is bright as the sun! My name is Debbie, but you can call me Deb. I'm pleased to meet you Sunshine." Justin smiled and grasped her extended hand.

"My name is Justin."

"Well Justin, you look like you could use some meat on your bones, what can I get for ya?"

Picking up the menu, Justin began to order. "I'll have a cheeseburger, an order of fries, and-" The bell above the door chimed, indicating that someone had entered the diner. As Justin looked up, his mouth dropped. There stood three teenagers about his age, one was a skinny blonde girl and another was a short, scrawny kid with black hair, but Justin's barely noticed them as his gaze was fixed on the tall, handsome brunet standing beside them. _No,_ Justin thought, _He isn't handsome, more like sex on a stick.'_ Debbie waved to the trio before returning to Justin's order.

"Woohoo? Sunshine?" Justin snapped out of his trance and looked at Debbie expectantly. "I said, can I get you anything to drink?"

"Water." Justin practically choked on the word, his mouth was so dry. Debbie nodded and went to fill his order.

Justin's heart was beating like a jackhammer, his palms were sweaty, and his eyes kept darting to and from the walking wet dream who now scanning the diner for a place to sit. Hazel eyes settled on Justin and he visibly jumped, caught like a deer in headlights as the three approached him. When they stopped at his table Justin nearly fainted dead away.

"Hey"

_Omigod, he's speaking to me. Get a grip Taylor. Christ, he'll think you're a dumb ass if you just sit there and stare at him! Say something!_

"Hey yourself." _Smooth Justin, very original._

The brunet just smirked while looking down at Justin. " Um, you're in our booth."

_Oh_


End file.
